Tigers beat the heat at Chhatbir Zoo in Punjab

A Royal Bengal tiger and a white tiger were pictured cooling off in a pond inside their enclosure at Chhatbir Zoo on the outskirts of Chandigarh, Punjab.

All pics/AFP

Formally known as the Mahendra Chaudhary Zoological Park, the Chhatbir Zoo, which was opened to the public in 1977, prides itself with the Royal Bengal tiger. Visitors can get there in a motor vehicle, which remains in enclosure for having glances at the tigers and can travel inside the refuge of tiger for a closer look.

The lion safari is also an interesting part about the Chhatbir Zoo, which is an abode to a large variety of birds, mammals and reptiles.

Visitors can enjoy the adventurous trips to the reserves of Asiatic Lions where animals are found roaming freely. The zoo remains open throughout the week except Mondays.

Lying on the road of Chandigarh-Zirakpur-Patiala route, the Chhatbir Zoo is located 17 km away from Chandigarh. It is the most developed zoological park in the area.

Once a raw scrubland, it was transformed into a perfect abode for wild beasts. The animals remain there in open in order to have a natural habitat as far as their behavior and physical needs are concerned.

The Chhatbir Zoo houses around 950 animals as well as birds belonging to around 85 species including some endangered ones like the gharial, living in over 100 enclosures.